Sebastian Anton Scherer

Sebastian Anton Scherer (3 October 1631 – 26 August 1712) was a German composer and organist of the Baroque era. Scherer was born in Ulm, where he resided until his death. On 17 June 1653 he was elected town musician, and it was also around that time that he became assistant to Tobias Eberlin, then organist of the famous Ulm Münster. Sherer probably started studying with Eberlin at the same time, later married his daughter and in 1671 succeeded him as organist of the cathedral. Sources disagree on whether Scherer was later appointed organist or simply organ consultant at St. Thomas (Église Saint-Thomas) in Strasbourg, but it was most probably the latter case, since apparently he remained Ulm’s cathedral organist until his death in 1712. Scherer’s surviving works are few, as is typical for the era. They include a collection of sacred vocal music (motets, mass movements and psalm settings) somewhat notable for its imaginative word-setting in some of the pieces, fourteen trio sonatas published as one volume in 1680, all of considerable quality, and a two-part volume of organ music. This latter publication exhibits Italian influence, particularly that of Frescobaldi, which was typical